The present invention relates generally to a food server of the lazy Susan type used to dispense several different condiments or portions of food to a multitude of people.
Food servers have long been the object of much interest to people who regularly serve large groups of people. The food servers tend to localize the type of food being dispensed and several people may usually withdraw food simultaneously from multi-segmented compartments on the food servers.
The usual configuration of this type of food server is a lazy Susan type of food server wherein several pie shaped compartments are arranged around a central hub much as the spokes on a wagon wheel. This type of server is either picked up and spun by hand so that the proper food or condiment is placed adjacent to the party desiring same or the body of the server is free to rotate about a central hub on a bearing or bearings such that the entire server need not be lifted to spin the body or serving tray.
Typical examples of prior art food containers of the general circular configuration of the present invention are shown in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 1,977,092 L. H. Scurlock October 16, 1934 1,978,695 J. B. Clark October 30, 1934 2,030,899 L. H. Scurlock February 18, 1936 2,042,637 L. H. Scurlock June 2, 1936 2,091,394 T. S. Park August 31, 1937 ______________________________________
The use of spoons, forks, and other miscellaneous types of utensils for removing food from a lazy Susan type of food server is common. Typically, utensils are placed right in the food or condiment to be dispensed. The utensils are, however, subject to being displaced or even ejected from the server by centrifugal forces caused by rapidly spinning the body of the server.
The natural design of a round food dispenser lends itself to a round table of small size such that all persons when sitting around the table may reach the server with equal ease. The great majority of the tables in the country however are rectangular or elongated rather than round which causes difficulty to people unfortunate enough to be sitting on the long end of the table or at a corner.
The storing of condiments or food from one serving time to the next serving time presents a problem. Typically, the food will be removed from the food server by spooning it back into its original container and then washing the food tray itself. Washing the food tray is a problem in itself. If the food tray is large enough to hold a quantity of food, by necessity its diameter is very large. The large diameter of most existing serving trays necessitates hand washing as automatic dishwashers are not able to handle them.
The present invention is primarily concerned with overcoming these prior art problems by incorporating removable trays of all types in a decorative body with several ingenious features. The present invention in its preferred embodiment includes plastic or glass removable trays of several types, deep trays for storing larger quantities of food, shallow trays raised on supports for smaller quantities of food or condiments, and special purpose trays for holding salt, pepper, and other spices.
The present invention also includes a flat top which fits over all of the individual serving trays which can be used for storing the entire food server since all trays, whether shallow or deep, are the same height. The present invention also provides for utensils and utensil storage separate from the individual trays. The body of the food server itself serves as a support for the utensils, supporting them in inclined, radial array.
A further important feature of the invention is the use of parallel uni-directional wheels which will permit rolling in a back and forth or single direction only. This feature permits inter alia a long rectangular table to be served by a rotating, longitudinally traversing food server.
A still further important feature is the provision near the top of the device of an upper utensil support container which catches the drippings and droppings from the aperative, food contacting ends of the utensils and support them at a substantial incline of the order of 45.degree., which angle presents them at a convenient angle for grasping, enhances the drip catching action, and securely holds them against centrifugal action when the basic body of the food server is rotated.
Additionally, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the food holding tray inserts have a depth significantly less than the depth of the openings, leaving a space of the order of an inch or two at their inner tips allowing the tops to be easily grasped for easy removal and insertion of the inserts.